Unconscious Discrimination

When it comes to the task of hiring employees, we’ve learned to be careful to follow all guidelines and try to be “Equal Opportunity Employers,” but what happens when you discriminate against job candidates unconsciously?

Believe it or not, there are cases that have already made it to court based on the grounds of unconscious bias on the part of hiring managers: one discrimination suit including blacks and the other, women.

“Also called ‘implicit bias,’ the concept stems from both common sense and growing social-science research that human beings make all kinds of assumptions about other people. When those assumptions are unconscious and discriminatory, you’ve got a legal problem.”

So what is the best way to prevent unconscious discrimination? The first step is to simply be aware that it exists. Employers should train their staff to consciously watch for these biases so as to not let them control their actions. Sometimes acknowledging the bias is half the battle.

Read the full article at ScrippsNews.com.

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group